Congress leader Pawan Khera on Thursday said that authorities flat out lied to him while trying to get him off a plane to Chhattisgarh, in a brazen violation of rules and his personal liberty.
"I was told that there is an issue with my baggage, though I only had hand baggage. They told me you can't fly. Then they said the DCP (Deputy Commissioner of Police) will meet you. I have been waiting for a long time. There is no sign of law and order," Mr Khera said.
मुझे कहा गया कि आपके सामान को लेकर कुछ समस्या है, जबकि मेरे पास केवल एक हैंडबैग है।
जब फ्लाइट से नीचे आया तो बताया गया कि आप नहीं जा सकते हैं। फिर कहा गया- आपसे DCP मिलेंगे।
मैं काफी देर से इंतजार कर रहा हूं। नियम, कानून और कारणों का कुछ अता-पता नहीं है।
: @Pawankhera जी pic.twitter.com/637WUlBDpJ
— Congress (@INCIndia) February 23, 2023Mr Khera, a senior Congress spokesperson, was allegedly forced to exit an IndiGo flight out of Delhi, despite a boarding pass, moments after party leaders boarded the plane.
Nearly 50 party leaders, who were flying to Raipur for a meeting of the All India Congress Committee (AICC), launched a protest on the tarmac, next to the aircraft.
There were reports that an Assam Police team had arrived at the airport to arrest the leader.
IndiGo Airline sources said Mr Khera was deplaned on being served an FIR or First Information Report. There was "no impact" on flights, they said.
The Congress alleged that Pawan Khera was stopped without an arrest warrant. "This is nothing but a rattled government and its high-handedness," Congress's Supriya Srinate told NDTV.
AdvertisementThe BJP has demanded Mr Khera's arrest over allegations that he insulted Prime Minister Narendra Modi. An FIR was filed after a BJP leader filed a police complaint.
"Modi government is acting like a bunch of goons by deplaning Pawan Khera from the Delhi-Raipur flight and preventing him from joining the AICC Plenary. Using a flimsy FIR to restrict his movement and silence him is a shameful, unacceptable act. The entire party stands with Pawan ji," tweeted KC Venugopal, a senior Congress leader.
